Jeffrey Wilson ’68

Logan Jeffrey Wilson, 64, died near Trinidad, Colorado, Friday, November 26, 2010. He suffered a fatal heart attack while hunting elk with his friends. He was born in Independence, Missouri, on July 19, 1946, to Dorace J. (Fike) and Logan L. Wilson. After graduating from Blue Springs High School, he received a degree from Carleton College. At Carleton he met his wife, Catherine Ann Simons, whom he married on August 17, 1968, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. He earned a law degree from the University of Missouri, Kansas City, and then joined the firm of Shook Hardy & Bacon before becoming in-house counsel and eventually Vice President of Fike Corporation. Over the course of 3 years, he helped lead Fike’s transformations into a global leader in fire and explosion suppression devices, with over 700 employees on four continents. He was steady in his dedication to his job and co-workers, whether he was finalizing the acquisition of a new subsidiary, or wrangling over a traffic ticket on behalf of a co- worker. A loving son and brother, he lived most of his life near his parents, his three siblings, and their families, with whom he spent many weekends. His wife and three children were the center of his life, and he liked nothing better than to relax on the couch with his family, dogs, and books. He loved storytelling, and was a gripping (if unreliable) raconteur. His many enthusiasms included mystery novels, military histories, film noir, wine, football, impractical cars, peculiar antiques, spicy food, Hawaiian shirts, the French horn, and cooking ranch-house food for his Colorado friends. Above all, he valued freedom, and defended the right of everyone else to freely pursue his or her own ends. He is survived by his wife, Catherine Wilson, of Blue Springs, MO; his daughter, Rachel Wilson, and Rachel’s husband, Andreas Liu, of Brookline, MA; his son, Nicholas Wilson, of Williamstown, MA; his son, Jacob Wilson, of Kansas City, MO; his mother, Dorace Wilson, of Independence, MO; his brother, Patrick Wilson, and Pat’s wife, Barbara, of Kansas City, MO; his sister, Jane Wilson, and Jane’s husband, Rod Baker of Kansas City, MO; his brother, Andrew Wilson, and Andy’s wife, Ingrid Keizer Wilson, of Blue Springs, MO; his brother-in-law, William Simons, of St. Petersburg, Russia; and ten nieces and nephews. His father, Logan L. Wilson, preceded him in death. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, December 2, at 3 pm, at the First Presbyterian Church, 100 N. Pleasant St., Independence MO.
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“Gar”, as he was known to me, was my best friend at Carleton. He was smart, fun-loving, mischievous, and totally klutzy. I remember once he came back to our room in the middle of the night, carrying a large, bronze plaque. Inscribed on it were words something like this: “In 1882 Jessie James robbed this bank. . .” Gar never said how or from whom he got the plaque, but I did convince him that the bank might be looking for it. He took it back to the bank. Gar lost half of the middle finger on his left hand in a childhood accident. All that remained was a short stump. That’s why the nickname he brought to Carleton was “Stumpy.” When really mad at someone, he never made an obscene gesture toward them–only half of one! Gar was in my wedding in 1967. He was at his best when he bumped into the wedding cake, creating a bride’s mother’s nightmare. He was uninjured, even if the cake was. We often talked politics. Gar had been a U.S. Senate page for Senator Stuart Symington of Missouri. He never lacked for an opinion on political matters. Gar was my friend. I remember him with fondness and miss him. Rick Nuffer ’68